Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Cicada pee challenges our understanding of fluid dynamics, new study finds

Little insects, even rodents, pee in droplets. Big animals like humans and elephants pee in streams. It’s the most energy-efficient way to excrete. But it turns out that cicadas pee in jets, too — and why and how they do it could help scientists better understand microfluidics and advance all kinds of technologies, from 3D printing to drug delivery.

NPR’s Ari Daniel reports.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.